Athena’s P.O.V.
“H-Helena?” he asked me.
“C-Cristoff? Is that really you?” I couldn’t believe it. He was actually here.
He was about to kiss my lips until I suddenly came back to reality because of a strange sound.
Geez! That could have been my best dream ever, if only I was not awakened by someone else’s ring tone!
Kahit papikit-pikit pa ako ay alam kong hindi sa akin ang ring tone na ‘yon! So, I didn’t have any other choice but to finally cut my sleep dahil ayaw tumigil niyon at patuloy lang sa pagtunog. I removed myself from my customized empress bed and search for that annoying thing only to find that it was Kate’s phone placed above my bedside table.
And what the hell her phone was doing here inside my room? Halos magsalubong ang dalawang kilay ko.
I was really pissed off like hell! Her crazy ring tone cut my dream just in time Cristoff was about to kiss me!
Nakakainis! Kahit man lang ba sa panaginip, hindi pa rin kami meant to be?
I was mad, but I guessed, sadness mostly filled my heart.
It was only in my dreams that I could have him… that I could be with him… that I could spend forever with him. It was only in my dreams that I could find and feel the true meaning of happiness… and yet, my happy thoughts would only shatter into pieces?
Who wouldn’t get pissed? Damn it!
“Ouch!” I got even angrier when I suddenly felt a hang-over, dahilan para lalo pa akong mapapikit at mapahawak sa ulo ko. It was all this caller’s fault! Kung ayaw niyang matulog, huwag siyang mang-istorbo!
Whoever this person is, I will surely make him or her pay the damage! This person literally ruined my day!
Nagdadabog kong kinuha ang cell phone ni Kate. I found that it was an unregistered number based on the screen, but the call was unquestionably coming here from Germany since the *number started with digits 0157.
“Hallo? Wer ist das?” I asked with an uncontrolled irritation in my voice. Kapag galit ako, lumalabas talaga ang German accent ko.
Pero lalo lang akong nairita nang hindi man lamang sumagot ‘yong nasa kabilang linya. Yet, I still waited for him or her to speak… still giving that person the chance to explain why did he or she call too early in the morning.
I looked at my bedside clock and it was already fifteen minutes past eight. It was still early for me. When I didn’t have my classes, I used to wake up by eleven o’clock in the morning.
Aba! Ginising na nga niya ang mahimbing kong tulog, pinutol pa niya ang magandang panaginip ko… pagkatapos ay hindi siya magsasalita? Ano ’to, lokohan?
“Hallo?” ulit ko. Umupo ako sa kama habang nakasandal sa European-styled headboard nito.
I even checked again the screen of the phone to see if the call was still on. The seconds were still running so he or she was still on the other line.
Bwisit! Ang aga-aga, sinisira ng taong ’to ‘yong araw ko! Sumagot ka… huwag mong ubusin ang pasensiya ko!
Teka, kailan ba ako nagkaroon ng pasensiya?
Parang naririnig ko naman na humihinga ‘yong nasa kabilang linya, pero hindi pa rin siya nagsasalita. Actually, malakas ang loob ko na lalaki siya.
Oh crap! Ano bang trip ng taong ’to? Wala akong panahong makipaglokohan sa mga prank caller!
“Hey! Bitte sprechen!” sinigawan ko na siya. Sobrang nakakainis na.
Ang kaninang papikit-pikit kong mga mata, ngayon ay nanlalaki na. Kung ‘di niya siguro pinutol ang panaginip ko, baka mapatawad ko pa siya.
I was about to growl, “Get a life!” to the other line but just in time, my bathroom door suddenly opened and Kate hastily went out of it. She even used my hair-drying towel and clothes—a pair of red blouse and shorts, even though those were a little tight on her.
“Oh! I think, that call was mine,” sabi niya na halos magkandapa-dapa na sa pagmamadali.
Agad niyang inagaw ‘yong cell phone sa akin at inilagay ‘yon sa kaliwang tainga niya, “Leena? What? Hello—” she cut her sentence before she removed the phone from her left ear with pouty lips.
I smiled secretly. I knew it—her phone’s battery went dead again. Gusto ko sana siyang asarin para naman makabawi ako sa kanya, kaso sa haba ng nguso niya ngayon ay baka umiyak pa!
Well, ano pa bang bago? Mobile games pa more!
But how I wished na kagabi pa na-empty battery ‘yong cell phone niyang ‘yon, para hindi na sana na-istorbo ang mahimbing na tulog ko. Hindi sana naputol ang kapana-panabik na eksena sa panaginip ko!
‘Yon na eh… maghahalikan na kaming dalawa, tapos nabitin pa? Nakakairita talaga!
“Oh my God, Teen! Baka si Chad na ‘yon! OMG! OMG! Charger, charger… where is your charger?” natatarantang sigaw niya habang pinipilit buksan ang patay nang cell phone.
I could see the sparks in her eyes when she mentioned that guy’s name. He was probably the shy guy who asked her for a dance last night. That guy na hindi ko man lang alam kung saan siya dinala at kung ano ang ginawa nilang dalawa! Now that I was thinking of it, mukhang hindi naman yata talaga mahiyain ang kumag!
I just smirked at her. “Seriously, Kate? After your crazy ring tone and your damn fucking caller interrupted my sleep? Sa akin ka pa talaga manghihiram ng charger ha? You’ve got to be kidding me! Lumabas ka na nga ng kuwarto ko, matutulog na lang ako ulit!” Naiinis akong humigang muli sa kama at nagtalukbong ng comforter, but after a few seconds ay bigla na lang niya akong niyugyog.
“Eh… sorry naman, Teen! Malamang, wala akong dalang charger kaya nga nanghihiram ako sa’yo ngayon. Kung may dala ako, manghihiram pa ba ako? ‘Di ba, hindi naman? Sige na, please… I’ll treat you lunch for one week,” nagmamaka-awa niyang sabi sa akin, na may kasama pang suhol.
Padabog kong inalis ‘yong comforter sa mukha ko at bumangon ulit ako. Umupo ako sa kama habang siya naman ay nakatayo lang at nagpa-puppy eyes pa sa harapan ko.
“Care to share who that fucking Chad was?” I asked her while wearing my poker face.
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German mobile numbers* begin with a four-digit prefix such as 0151, 0157 or 0173.